Standout Berea back pushes himself even after success

Berea senior running back Trap Hagood recalls his breakout 2016 season and the offensive line that paved the way.

Berea senior running back Trap Hagood has rushed for more than 3,000 yards in two-plus seasons for the Bulldogs.(Photo: FILE PHOTO)

When he began playing football as a youth, Trap Hagood asked the coach for jersey No. 27. He was given No. 72, perhaps because the first position he played was guard.

"I was chubby, but I wasn't that big," Hagood said. "I was still fast, but the coaches didn't know it."

He got over the mistake quickly and proudly wore the jersey to school.

"I didn't like the number," he said, "but I was so happy, just because I was on a football team."

By the next season, Hagood had a position more suited to his skills — running back — and a number befitting his position.

He's worn 10 or 25 over the years, and he's settled on 10 at Berea High School, for which he's gained more than 3,000 yards rushing over the past two-plus seasons.

"The last two years, we do something called 'The Boys of Fall' picture," said Berea coach Wayne Green, pointing out the reference to the Kenny Chesney song.

"It's for the guys who come in the weight room almost every time we open it up in the summer, and they're here every day at spring practice. He has been on that picture the last two years. He's a kid that works and works."

Hagood has always been driven to succeed, but he became especially motivated because of the player he followed and the manner in which he came onto the scene.

Travis Lamont Hagood Jr. never knew his father, who died about six months before he was born in May 2000. But everyone called his dad "Trap," and the son inherited the nickname because, he said, "They say I look just like him." He has a tattoo with the date of his father's death, 11-25-99, on his right arm.

His mother, Katie Austin, calls him T.J. for Travis Jr. He wears a bracelet with those initials, given to him by his mother.

"My mom is basically my father, too. I'm a momma's boy," he said with a huge smile. "I love my mom. She comes to every game and shows me support. She's like my best friend. We can do anything together. I help her with anything she needs."

He lives with his mother, younger sister K'mya Austin and older brother Zay Ballenger, who was a highly successful athlete at Berea. He also has an older sister and a niece whose first birthday was Wednesday.

The family moved to the Brutontown section of Greenville when Hagood was 9, and the first person he met was Stevie Williams, who became a classmate of Ballenger and a star running back for the Bulldogs.

Hagood did not play football as a freshman at Berea. Like Ballenger, he played basketball. That year was a breakout season for Williams, who rushed for 2,483 yards and 25 touchdowns.

Berea looked forward to Williams and Hagood forming a dynamic tandem in the backfield in 2015, but it never happened. Williams was injured in the preseason and barely played.

"Ever since then," Hagood said, "I've been trying to overcome, 'Stevie's not here.'"

He already had his size working against him. Hagood is a smaller version of the 5-foot-9, 220-pound Williams. Hagood is — and this, he admits, could be stretching it — 5-6, 170 pounds.

"My 10th-grade year, I was still getting used to it," he said. "I was like, 'I'm the smallest dude on the team. There's a bunch of big dudes on the other team trying to kill me.' I had to get over that every game."

He has gotten over that. All the lifting has enabled him to shed tacklers with much less effort.

And he has plenty of speed. Hagood had just five carries for 58 yards in Berea's 55-6, season-opening loss at Seneca, but one of them went for a 58-yard touchdown.

"With Trap, the offensive line can be less than perfect," Green said. "His touchdown run against Seneca, there were four bodies in the backfield, and they couldn't touch him. Then he got in the secondary, and he outran them."

Hagood flashed that speed throughout his sophomore season. He ran for more than 800 yards, and that was despite Williams playing some and despite missing two games himself with a bone bruise.

Then last year was Hagood's breakout season. He rushed for more than 2,000 yards and made The Greenville News All-Upstate first team.

"Last year, my mindset was like, 'I'm going to be the best running back in South Carolina,' and every game I was trying to prove it," Hagood said. "I was trying to be the best athlete, in general, so I was trying to play defense. I was going over to offense. Any position. But every time I got the ball, I wasn't going to let anything stop me."

Hagood has been just as versatile this season, although circumstances have limited him. He took a knee to the head against Seneca and sat out the second half.

This past week, in a 30-13 victory against rival Travelers Rest, Hagood carried 26 times for 158 yards and two touchdowns. But because of injuries, Hagood has played more at safety than Green would like.

"He played almost every snap on defense, plus he returns kicks, so we've been getting him off the field some on offense," said Green, whose team has this Friday off.

"We have plans to play him some at wide receiver. He's got great ball skills, he runs good routes and he's smart. You tell him once, and he pretty much has it."

Hagood maintains a 3.2 grade-point average, and along with playing college football, he'd like to major in electrical engineering. He has his carpentry license, so he's pretty handy. He said his mother used to work at Home Depot, so she is, too. Something else they can do together.

Hagood said he just wants an opportunity in college, regardless of the position. Green said Hagood has been the same for the Bulldogs, up for anything, very unselfish.

"I'll do anything for the team," Hagood said.

Then he paused and smiled.

"I'll play anywhere," he said, "just not the line again. Just don't take me back. I'll have flashbacks."

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